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A new drive is underway to identify a suitable occupier for an historic city centre church following the opening of a major new food and entertainment complex close by.

The Grade II Listed St. John the Evangelist Church in Hanley has stood empty since the late 1980s before being carefully restored a few years ago.

Now marketing agents Mounsey Surveyors believes the time is right for a renaissance of the church which dates back to around 1787.

“The development of the Hive at the Intu Potteries Centre has added significantly to the footfall in the area and will be a significant driver for more development on the northern side of the city centre,” said Tom Johnson, Chartered Surveyor at Mounsey Surveyors.

“Whilst we are receiving ongoing interest in the re-use of St. John’s Church, we are undertaking a thorough marketing campaign to identify a suitable occupier on either a freehold or leasehold basis. Based on our discussions with local planning officers, they are keen to support a full range of uses given the building’s prominent city centre location.”

Owners, Church Converts LLP, have carried-out extensive work to ensure St. John’s remains weatherproof and in sound internal condition. The building comprises 8,410 sq ft of internal space that is located on a secure site area benefitting from dedicated car parking.

St John’s was among the first building constructed using cast iron and is therefore of architectural significance.

Tom comments, “A Restaurant and café use has always been the most likely alternative use for the building but I believe it would prove equally suitable for a range of other planning uses including leisure, business, retail and residential.”

Since purchasing the building amongst a portfolio of assets from the Church of England, Church Converts LLP has invested substantially in the building to repair it, bring out the best of the historic features, and present it as a beautiful space for future tenants to exploit.

For further information, please contact Mounsey Surveyors on 01782 202294 or visit the website, www.mounseysurveyors.co.uk.

An experienced café owner is set to breathe new life into a disused tea room at a Staffordshire Moorlands beauty spot.

Mounsey Chartered Surveyors has successfully completed negotiations to let the picturesque Froghall Wharf tea rooms on behalf of the Canal and River Trust.

It has been taken on by Emma Atkinson, of nearby Moneystone, who already operates tea rooms in two Derbyshire beauty spots.

The new Froghall Wharf tea rooms, to be named Hetty’s after Emma’s 90-year-old Grandma, is close to Emma’s heart.

“When the tea rooms were open previously, I called in regularly with my family for an ice cream,” said Emma. “Once I knew it was available, I jumped at the chance of taking it on. I’m now planning to let one of my businesses go so that I can concentrate more effort on Froghall Wharf.”

Extensive changes are planned involving a complete modernisation of the tea rooms and the creation of a holiday let on the upper floor.

Tom Johnson of Festival Park based Mounsey Chartered Surveyors, commented: “We are pleased to have successfully let this unique asset on behalf of the Canal and River Trust.

“It is an attractive building which has attracted strong enquiry levels throughout the marketing period and this was reflected in the proposals that we received. It was equally important, however, to identify an experienced operator with a proven background in the food and drink sector who would re-establish the venue as a place to visit whilst complementing its waterside setting. Emma stood out as the outstanding person to meet this criteria.”

A major warehouse with the space to create up to 300 jobs has been released onto the market in Stoke-on-Trent.

Commercial property experts, Mounsey Chartered Surveyors, have been appointed to market a 103,000 sq. ft. industrial/warehouse facility on Oldfields Business Park in Fenton.

“Initial marketing has gone well and there has been strong early interest,” said company director Richard Mounsey.

“This is a significant regional warehouse and is likely to be among the largest existing buildings to come to the market in North Staffordshire this year.”

Mounsey Surveyors are advising the freeholder of building, which was formerly occupied by air handling equipment manufacturers Moducel.

Richard added: “The building is of modern specification benefitting from integral two storey office accommodation, a 6 meter warehouse eaves height and full site circulation. It benefits from its excellent location with easy access to the A50 and A500 dual carriageways, providing good links to the M6 Motorway at Junctions 15 and 16, as well as the M1 Motorway and the East Midlands.”